Almost 300 trans and gender-diverse people reported murdered in the last year

On the occasion of the 18th International Trans Day of Remembrance (TDoR), which is being held on 20th of November 2016 [1], Transgender Europe (TGEU) is publishing the Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) research project update [2] to join the voices raising awareness of this day regarding hate crimes against trans and gender-diverse people, and to honour the lives of those who might otherwise be forgotten.

Sadly, this year there are 295 trans and gender-diverse persons to be added to the list of those to be remembered, mourned, and honoured. The TDoR 2016 update has revealed a total of 295 cases of reported killings of trans and gender-diverse people between 1st of October 2015 and 30th of September 2016.

This update shows reports of murdered trans and gender-diverse people in 33 countries in the last 12 months, with the majority happening in Brazil (123), Mexico (52), the United States (23), Colombia (14), and Venezuela (14). In Asia, most reported cases are in India (6) and Pakistan (5) and, in Europe, in Italy (5) and Turkey (5).

Overall, the TDoR 2016 update reveals a total of 2,264 reported killings of trans and gender-diverse people in 68 countries worldwide between 1st of January 2008 and 30th of September 2016 [3].

Throughout all six world regions, the highest absolute numbers have been found in countries with strong trans movements and trans or LGBT organisations that carry out some kind of professional monitoring: Brazil (900), Mexico (271), Colombia (114), Venezuela (110), and Honduras (89) in Central and South America; the USA (154) in North America; Turkey (44) and Italy (32) in Europe; and India (60), the Philippines (41) and Pakistan (39) in Asia [4].

While Brazil, Mexico, and the USA have the highest absolute numbers, the relative numbers show even more worrisome results for some countries with smaller population sizes. Honduras, for instance, has a rate of 10.77 reported trans and gender-diverse people killings per million inhabitants. For Belize the rate is 6.02, while for Brazil the rate is 4.49, for Mexico the rate is 2.21, and for the USA the rate is 0.48.

It is important to note that these cases are only those that could be found through Internet research and through cooperation with local trans organisations and activists. In most countries, data on murdered trans and gender-diverse people are not systematically produced and it is impossible to estimate the numbers of unreported cases.

These figures only show the tip of the iceberg of homicides of trans and gender-diverse people on a worldwide scale. These results will be extensively covered by TGEU’s first TMM annual report. The document provides background information and discussion on the Trans Murder Monitoring on a global scale, and presents a more detailed analysis of the TMM data. The TMM report 2016 can be found on www.transrespect.org/en/tvt-publication-series

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ENDS

For more Information, TGEU’s Senior Researcher, Carla LaGata, PhD, and TGEU’s Transrespect Officer, Lukas Berredo, are available for interviews and questions, and can be reached at carla[at]tgeu.org and lukas[at]tgeu.org respectively.

[1] Since 1999 the Trans Day of Remembrance, also known as Transgender Day of Remembrance, (TDoR), on which those trans and gender-diverse people who have been victims of homicide are remembered, takes place every November. TDoR raises public awareness of hate crimes against trans and gender-diverse people, provides a space for public mourning, and honours the lives of those who might otherwise be forgotten. Started in the USA, TDoR is now held in many parts of the world. In the past, TDoR took place in more than 180 cities in more than 20 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

[2] The Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) project started in April 2009 and systematically monitors, collects, and analyses reports of homicides of trans and gender-diverse people worldwide. Updates of the results, which were first presented in July 2009, are published on the website of the “Transrespect versus Transphobia Worldwide” project two to four times a year in the form of tables, name lists, and maps: http://transrespect.org/en/trans-murder-monitoring/tmm-resources

[3] The TMM TDoR 2016 update reports killings of trans and gender-diverse people between January 2008 and September 2016 in all world regions: 1,768 killings in 23 countries in Central and South America, which account for 78% of the globally reported murders; 202 killings in 16 Asian countries; 159 killings in North America; 116 killings in 16 European countries; 13 killings have been reported in 6 African countries; and 6 killings in 5 countries in Oceania.

[4] The close connection between the existence of strong trans movements and professional monitoring, on the one hand, and highest absolute numbers of reports, on the other hand, point to the worrisome question of unreported cases. Beside the need for mechanisms to protect trans and gender-diverse people, this connection also shows the need for strong trans communities and organisations, which are capable of professional monitoring and reporting of violence against trans and gender-diverse people. This connection results in the figures showing only the tip of the iceberg of homicides of trans and gender-diverse people on a worldwide scale.